Here Always
by bookwormsandnerdity
Summary: Emma and Regina are finally (somewhat) getting along, sharing in joint custody of Henry. What happens when Emma decides to adopt a child?
1. Chapter 1

Fandom: OUAT/SWEN  
Title: Here Always  
Author: BookwormNerdity  
Pairing: Red Swan (eventual Swan Queen)  
Rating: M (Language, sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use)  
**Warning:** To understand this fic you need to have watched ALL seasons of Once Upon A Time!

****Disclaimer**** I do not own any of the plot ideas and characters from ABC'S Once Upon A Time!

**A/N:**This is my first fan-fiction ever, so please be gentle :) constructive feedback and writing tips are always appreciated.

Chapter 1:

It's been two years since Emma Swan broke Regina's curse in Storybrooke, Maine. Two long years since the epic rescue mission from Neverland and the nasty battle with Peter Pan. For Emma, the fighting and the constant feelings of having to look over her shoulder have come to a stop in these two short years. As Emma sat at her desk in the police station, she couldn't help but reminisce over the past years. It's been a long time coming, but Emma could not deny that she was finally happy. Everything in Storybrooke was finally back to normal. Regina still held her position as mayor and nobody dares run against her despite the fact that most of the town still hates her; Emma was still the sheriff and David, Frederick, and now Ruby were her deputies, Mary-Margaret was still a school teacher, though she no longer taught Henry since he was now 13 years old and in the 7th grade. Everything was picture perfect.

Emma leaned back in her chair and casually threw her feet up on the desk, once she'd finally finished the large pile of paperwork Regina so kindly brought over to her that morning. Just as she was about to catch what she hoped would be a thirty minute desk nap, the Sheriff heard the familiar clacking of heels coming down the hallway outside her office.

"Oh hell, here comes the devil." Ruby muttered as she gave Emma a sympathetic glance.

Since Saturdays were the deputies day off, the only person who should've been at the station was Emma, on Regina's strict orders. When Emma stopped by Granny's for breakfast that morning, Ruby had offered to stay and help Emma by dividing the load of paperwork amongst the two. The two women glanced at the office door and then back to one another as Emma set her feet on the floor and sat up straight in her chair. As Regina sauntered in, Ruby ducked her head away from the mayor's death glare, silently praying the woman would be quick about her tongue lashing and leave.

"Well what do we have here?" Regina asked bitterly as she stepped into the Sheriff's office.

"Is there something I can help you with Madame Mayor?" Emma asked, not bothering to mask her annoyance.

Regina stopped at Emma's desk placing both of her hands on her hips. "I'd just like to know why Ms. Lucas is here on her day off, doing what appears to be _your_ work." Regina said, shooting Ruby an intense glare before turning her gaze back on Emma.

"Well, Ruby kindly offered to assist me this morning, so I allowed it." Emma answered already irritated by Regina's presence.

Regina scowled at the tone Emma was taking with her but softened a bit as she prepared to speak again. "I know this is a bit short notice, but I am here to invite you over for dinner." Regina felt a bit uncomfortable, the fear of rejection quickly washing over her as she let the last few words tumble out. "Henry has been wanting to see you." Regina watched Emma's facial expressions in anticipation.

Emma furrowed her brow, as she smoothed a hand through blonde curls. The Sheriff wasn't quite sure what Regina was up to, but she knew that this little invitation had nothing to do with their son. Regina and Emma made the decision a long time ago, that Henry would live with both of them. Monday through Wednesday was when Emma had him, and then Regina had him the rest of the week. Why would Henry be so anxious to see her? He lives with her half the time.

"Tell Henry that I am really sorry, but I'm very tired and may actually be skipping dinner tonight." Emma said, with a tone of finality.

Regina's eyes flashed with disappointment which was gone as quickly as it had come. Hard mask back in tact the Mayor said "Very well." and turned towards the door. As she made her way out of the Sheriff's office, Regina couldn't help the small tear that slipped down her right cheek. "_how can she be so blind' _Regina thought as she made her way out of the building.

"Well, that was weird." Emma muttered as she stood up to pull on her red leather jacket.

Ruby let out a sigh and sat up straight in her chair as she looked at Emma. "Ems, I think you just turned down a date." Ruby said with a chuckle.

Emma's face twisted in horror at Ruby's words. "Are you insane?!" Emma began. "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard you say Rubes." she said, fighting to control her laughter.

Emma pulled her cell phone from her pocket and quickly typed out a text message to her son.

**Hey kid, I'm sorry but I had to say no to the dinner invite. Super tired today, but I'll see you Monday.**

"Come on Rubes, you can crash at my place tonight." Emma said, walking over to the door.

Ruby bounced to her feet almost knocking over her well organized half of Emma's completed paperwork. The two women left the police station arm in arm, walking towards Ruby's Red Mustang convertible. As Ruby began the drive towards Emma's house, Emma's phone buzzed in her pocket. the text was from Henry.

**What dinner invite? **

Emma raised an eyebrow in confusion as she typed back.

**Your mom came by the station to invite me to dinner tonight, she said you wanted to see me.**

Henry's reply was lightening quick. Emma stared at the screen of her phone in disbelief as she read and re-read his message.

**LOL! Nah, that's not true. Not that I don't wanna see you, but I never ask to see you when I have my time with her.**

Ruby finally pulled into the driveway in front of Emma's house. Emma's parents, Mary-Margaret (Snow White) and David ( Prince Charming) had built a house near the beach, with the help of a few townsfolk, and that was their gift to Emma. It was a beautifully modeled three story home overlooking the ocean, and Emma lived in it all by herself except for the days she got to keep Henry. As Emma and Ruby exited the Mustang, Emma couldn't help but feel a nervousness at the pit of her stomach.

"Um..Rubes, I think maybe you were right." Emma said sheepishly as she unlocked the front door and held it open for Ruby.

"Right about what?" Ruby asked with a giggle. In Ruby's mind she was always right, no matter what anyone else said.

"I think I turned down a dinner date with Regina." Emma said with a loud sigh.

Ruby raised her eyebrows in surprise as she followed Emma into the kitchen. It was pretty obvious, at least to Ruby anyway, that Regina was in love with Emma. The way that she looks at Emma when Emma isn't paying attention was a dead giveaway. Also, the mayor would start little fights with Emma here and there just to get under Emma's skin. Regina was also gentle with Emma, always lightly placing a hand on her shoulder or back as she walks by. Emma herself however, was completely oblivious to Regina's feelings and actions.

"What makes you think I was right about that?" Ruby asked out of curiosity as she sat down at kitchen the island.

" Henry texted me saying he didn't ask Regina to invite me to dinner." Emma answered with a sigh.

Ruby let out a giggle before responding. "You do realize Regina is crazy, over the moon in love with you, right?" She said letting a few more giggles escape before composing herself.

"Rubes, I so don't want to go down that road, okay." Emma said as she opened the fridge and grabbed them both a beer. Emma plopped down in the stool next to Ruby before resting her head on the counter top.

"You mean you're aware?" Ruby asked, her tone colored with disbelief.

Emma let out a frustrated groan before taking a swig of her beer. 'yes I am well aware, it couldn't be more obvious." Emma answered.

Ruby sipped her own beer before lightly punching Emma in the arm. "You mean to tell me, you _know_ how Regina feels but you're just ignoring it?!" Ruby asked unable to grasp the situation at hand.

Emma laughed at Ruby's facial expression. There was truly nothing more priceless than a frustrated werewolf. "I've known for a while now, and it isn't what you think at all." Emma began. "I could tell that after the stuff with Pan and after continuing on with magic lessons, that Regina had developed feelings but I refuse to go there." Emma finished, chancing a glance in Ruby's direction.

"Why Em?!" Ruby asked still not understanding the issue.

Emma let out a loud sigh. This was harder to explain than Emma had anticipated. "I care about Regina, but it just feels too weird ya know?" Emma finally said.

"Is it because of Henry?" Ruby asked.

"That, and the fact that she used to be my mom's stepmother slash arch-nemesis ." Emma said.

Ruby let out a laugh. Emma after all had a point, Snow and Charming would probably die if Emma and Regina took their relationship to_ that_ level. Also, Ruby kind of liked her and Emma's little "relationship" and she really didn't want that to end thanks to the Mayor.

"Well, as long as you're refusing to go down that road, I suppose there's no harm in our little _arrangement?" _Ruby purred in Emma's ear, a smile playing across red lips.

Emma felt butterflies accumulate in the pit of her stomach as Ruby's breath tickled her ear. She and her best friend had been carrying on a sexual relationship for the past six months and Emma couldn't help but wonder whether her and Ruby should just date each other already. Instead of bringing up that topic, Emma rose to her feet pulling Ruby up at the same time.

"No harm at all." Emma said as she pulled Ruby into a searing kiss.

The two women gripped each other tightly as they deepened their kiss, desperately clawing at one another's clothing. They broke their kiss once they felt the need to breathe. Emma's eyes darkened with pure desire as she spoke. "Race ya to the bedroom." she said as she turned swiftly on her heels and darted up the stairs. Ruby followed grabbing at Emma's jacket in an attempt to pull the other woman down.

Meanwhile, back at the mayoral manner, Regina sat by the fireplace in her study, sipping a glass of cider. She still didn't understand why Emma had turned her down before. Usually just mentioning Henry's name would get the Sheriff to do whatever she wanted. Regina wasn't sure why or how the love she felt for Emma came to be, she only knew that she had to have her. Against her better judgment, Regina decided to use her magic to see what Emma was _really_ up to that night. The brunette grabbed a hand mirror from her purse and with a wave of her hand, a cloud of purple smoke appeared over the object before revealing Emma Swan in what looked to be her bedroom. Regina smiled at the sight of the blonde plopping down on her bed, grinning from ear to ear. That smile faded quickly once she spotted Ruby stripping down to her undergarments, and climbing onto the bed to do the same to Emma. Regina tried not to feel hurt as she watched the pair share in a passionate kiss while Ruby proceeded to undress the woman she loved. A few tears escaped down Regina's cheeks as she watched Emma have sex with Ruby. _How dare that little wolf whore touch what is mine!_ Thought Regina as she waved a hand over the mirror, causing the image to disappear before dropping it back into her purse.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello lovelies! I just want to say a big thank you to all who have read, followed, and reviewed this fic so far. Thanks a bunch guys! This chapter is going to introduce a new character and a different point of view, so I hope you like. Let the plot twisting begin...

Chapter 2:

The sun peeked through the curtains of a young girls bedroom, signaling the start of a new day. Calista yawned and stretched as she began to roll herself out of bed. Summer vacation was finally over for the young brunette as she was now preparing herself for school. Calista sauntered across the room towards the master bath. Once inside she turned the knob of the shower until warm steam began to fill the inside. "The first day of senior year." she muttered with a sigh as she dropped her nightwear and stepped into the warm spray. As she bathed herself, Calista closed her eyes and let her mind drift down memory lane. She began to think about every pivotal moment in her life, which lead up to this point. Her mother Sanya dying when she was only five years old, Her being placed into the foster system until other living relatives could be located, Her first night in a new home. Calista was thinking back to all of it. She lived in Miami Florida at the time of her mother's death but was moved to a foster home in Tallahassee immediately after. She remembers being scared and sad because all she wanted was her mommy. It was pretty difficult then, she remembered, she was dressed in blue jeans, Barbie sneakers and her favorite purple t-shirt with the panda bear on the front. She remembers carrying her white, stuffed horse Angel around everywhere she went. Calista chuckled at that memory of her younger self, she was so tiny and fragile back then.

[Flashback]

_Calista hugged her stuffed horse Angel tightly to her chest as she sat in the corner locked in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the foster home. Hot tears flooded her eyes as she shook violently from the cool draft that blew through the open window. "I want my mommy Angel." she whispered to the white stuffed animal in her arms. All of sudden a loud crash sounded from downstairs followed by loud yelling and swearing. This home was not a nice place for a young girl of only five years. The screams from below got louder which only frightened Calista even more. Then, without warning, there was banging on her bedroom door. "Open this damn door girl!" yelled Joe, her new foster father. The man clearly had a drinking problem and was all riled up and ready for a fight by the sound of things. Joe continued to bang on the door so forcefully that Calista was afraid he'd actually beat it down. The fear twisted in the pit of her stomach as she rose from her spot on the floor. "We gotta get out of here Angel." she whispered to her stuffed horse. Calista walked in the middle of the room between the bedroom door and the window leading out to the fire escape. She glanced back and forth between the two before finally making a decision. She dashed toward the window and climbed out. As she was descending down the fire escape, she did not notice the blonde woman watching her from down below. When Calista finally reached the ground she hugged Angel to her chest again and turned around swiftly, only to be met by a sea of blue-green eyes. "Hey kid, what are you doing?!" Asked a tall blonde woman as Calista hugged her stuffed companion tighter. Tears spilled rivers down Calista's cheeks as she spoke, "I'm leaving, I can't stay here anymore!" she yelled, and the blonde noticed the girl had a funny accent. The blonde studied the young girl for a moment, she was small and innocent, big emerald eyes, long curly locks blowing softly in the wind. "Alright, what's your name?" asked the blonde. "Calista" the young girl whimpered. "I'm Emma." The blonde woman said with a small smile._

[Present]

Calista stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in one of the fluffy purple towels on her towel wrack. She shook her head at the memory of the day she met Emma Swan. The woman had only been about nineteen years old at the time. She had taken Calista by the hand and offered to buy her something to eat. It was strange but at the time Calista would have gone anywhere if it meant getting away from that awful place she was in. Calista smiles fondly at the memory of Emma, asking her what she was running away from, her showing Emma the bruises from where Joe had beaten her that day, and explaining how her mom had died recently. Emma had looked so horrified and empathetic. It was the way that Emma listened, and talked to Calista that let her know that she could trust the blonde woman. After Calista's social worker had managed to locate a living relative, her aunt Sophia, she had to say goodbye to Emma and move away to California. Its strange though, now that Calista thinks about it, because Emma had somehow always managed to find her wherever she went. Emma always called or sent birthday cards every single year without fail, and Calista always wondered how that could be. When her aunt Sophia got sick and couldn't take care of her, the woman sent her to live with her grandmother in New York. When her grandmother died, she was sent back to foster care. Shortly after that occurred, at age thirteen Calista was sent to live in Boston with her aunt Sophia's best friend, a wealthy woman named Evangelina Abasolo. Evangelina had taken Calista in as if she were her own, adopting her at age fourteen. Calista asked Evangelina once, how she knew her mother and aunt. _" Sanya Pļava was much more to me than just a friend my sweet girl."_ She'd say. Calista figured out her mom and Evangelina were "together" back in the day, which she found oddly comforting. The point is, no matter where Calista went, Emma found her every single time.

Dressed and ready in her black skinny jeans and purple Superman and Wonder woman tank top, Calista put on her purple socks and clear Y.R.U platform sneakers and sat down at her vanity. She studies herself in the mirror for a long moment. The top layer of her hair was light brown and medium length, The layer beneath was a vibrant shade of purple, with a side swept bang nearly covering her left eye. She has high cheekbones and full lips, her eyes are big and green like shiny jewels, and her skin is golden brown thanks to a summer of perfecting her tan. Deciding to go light on the eye shadow and heavy on the eyeliner, Calista applied her makeup, stuffed a cherry flavored lip balm in her front pocket and left her bedroom, school bag slung over her shoulder. Downstairs in the kitchen seated at the small breakfast nook was Evangelina, reading the newspaper and sipping her coffee.

"Labrīt, mamma!" Calista says before planting a gentle kiss to Eva's cheek.

"Labrīt, mīļā." Eva says in return, looking up from her paper to examine her daughter.

Calista gives Eva a warm and radiant smile before walking over to the bowl on the countertop to retrieve her car keys. Just as she picks up her keys, Eva began coughing and shaking violently, causing Calista to become alarmed. Calista rushed to Eva's side and placed a hand on her, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Are you okay mamma?" Calista asked with the look of worry in her eyes. Eva smiled up at her daughter, looking at her with love and sadness.

'I'm fine my sweet girl." Eva said with a wide grin.

It was not the truth though, and both she and Calista were aware. Evangelina was a heavy smoker for years, until finally she was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of forty-five. She spent a lot of time in the hospital, until finally, she had enough and refused to finish her treatment. Calista knew they did not have much time left together, she had even wanted to stop going to school just to stay home and watch over Eva, but Eva wasn't having that. So Calista gave Eva a hug before leaving the kitchen to find their live-in maid Arabella. Arabella was a young Hispanic woman in her early thirties who was in charge of cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the large estate they inhabited. Calista rounded several corners of the mansion until she found Arabella dressed in her black slacks and matching button down, dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, dusting the old grand piano in the corner of a sitting room.

"Hey Bella." Calista greeted glumly.

Arabella looked up from what she was doing to smile at her young friend.

"Good morning Calista, what can I do for you?" Arabella said with a raised brow.

"I have to go to school now, but mamma isn't looking so good..." Calista trailed off after her words hoping Arabella would understand.

"I need to walk your dogs, but I'll look after her after that." Bella said with a reassuring smile and a wink.

Calista gave Bella a nod and turned to walk away. She let out a sigh as she found her way to the front door, exiting quietly. Parked outside on the driveway was a royal blue astin martin vanquish. Evangelina had bought this car as a very early seventeenth birthday gift for Calista. It wasn't the most practical vehicle being a two seater and all, but it had a small trunk, big enough to store Calista's school bag. The point of having a car that only seated two was that Calista wasn't allowed to drive around with a large group of people in the car. Calista didn't mind though, it was a beautiful car with blue interior, and it was perfect. Calista unlocked the car and climbed inside, shoving her bag to the passenger's seat. She started the car, and sped off toward her first day of senior year at Boston Cambridge High School of The Arts.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The rest of the weekend had gone by in blur. All Regina can remember is the taste of her cider as it slid down her throat all Sunday afternoon. The dark haired woman sat up in bed and with a flick of her wrist, silenced the blaring alarm clock. It read 6:00am, which meant it was time for her majesty to get ready to start the week. Regina let out a sigh as she rolled out of bed and trudged toward her bathroom. It had been almost forty-eight hours since she witnessed that werewolf trollop putting her filthy paws all over _her _Emma_. 'How dare she!' _thought Regina. She waved a hand toward the shower, and just like that, water began to spray, steam filling the bathroom. Regina waved away her silk nightwear and stepped into the hot water, letting her mind drift back to "that day".

'_What am I going to do?' _Regina thought to herself as she lathered up and began scrubbing away at her skin. "_The way Emma smiled at her, are they a couple or are they merely scratching each other's itch?" _She wondered as she rinsed off and repeated her previous actions. Regina closed her eyes and breathed in the apple scented steam all around her, but that still wasn't enough to soothe her. Hot tears began to fall as she choked down her urge to scream. Turning off the water and stepping out of the shower, Regina wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel and looked at her reflection in the half fogged mirror. "Get it together Regina." she told herself as she fought to control the sobs that escaped full lips. Regina waved herself in a cloud of purple smoke, and when it cleared, re-examined her reflection. Wearing a white, long sleeved button down, tucked neatly into black slacks, accompanied by black high heeled boots, Regina looked like her usual well put together self. Except, she was anything but. She began to formulate a plan as she put on her blood red lipstick and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her blouse. _"I refuse to lose Emma to that tramp."_ Regina thought as she sauntered out into the hall to check on Henry.

After assuring Henry was awake and getting himself ready for school, Regina went downstairs toward the kitchen to prepare her sons breakfast and school lunch. Regina knew that since it was Monday, she'd be dropping Henry off at Emma's home later that evening. Of course, Henry could walk himself to Emma's or wait for her at the station, but Regina planned on using this joint custody arrangement to her full advantage. Never again will she allow Ruby to step in and push her out of the picture, no sir. Regina was getting what she wanted this time, she was going to fight for her happy ending. If doing so meant seducing Emma away from Ruby, so be it. "_What if Emma feels nothing for me?' _Regina thought to herself while preparing the apple cinnamon oatmeal for her son and herself. _"Even if Emma hates me, I can still make that Little Red's life a living hell regardless." _Regina thought with finality. If Regina couldn't have Emma Swan, no one could and this time, she didn't care if she was being possessive, cruel or an "Evil Queen", because this was about love, and all is fair in love and war.

Henry made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen to eat his breakfast. Once inside he sat at the kitchen island and watched as his mother packed his lunch. He ate his oatmeal silently, watching as she placed a baggie of cucumber slices in his lunchbox, followed by a small container of ranch, a bottle of water, and a ham and cheese sandwich. Henry tried to hide his frown as he took another bite of his breakfast. _"I get that she wants me to eat healthy, but would it kill her to pack me something different."_ He thought with a quiet sigh. He truly was sick of eating the same thing every single day. He longed for his days with Emma, because at least she would pack snacks or bring him a burger and fries from Granny's on her lunch break. Of course, that was their little secret. If Regina knew the things Emma fed him while he was staying with her, she'd probably go insane and enact another curse. "_She's certainly cursed people for less."_ Henry thought with a smirk.

Regina closed Henry's lunchbox and set it beside him. She decided to stand and eat her breakfast since she needed to hurry and get to her office. As she looked at her son, she couldn't help but note how he always seemed excited on the days Emma was to have him_. "Too excited.." _thought Regina.

"So Henry, what have you and Miss Swan planned for this evening?" Regina asked in a sickly sweet motherly tone.

Henry shrugged and swallowed before speaking. "Nothing, probably just the usual." he said unable to hide his grin.

Regina had always wondered what mother and son got up to while she was alone in her mayoral manner, sipping cider by the fire with a good book. It had never really occurred to her to spy on them with the use of her mirrors, until now.

"Very well, I will be collecting you from school and dropping you off at Emma's this evening." Regina stated matter-of-factly.

At this, Henry furrowed his brow in confusion. His mother never dropped him off at Emma's, ever. He had no ideas as to what his mother was up to but Henry was sure it wasn't good.

"Mom, I appreciate the offer, but Emma and I already agreed to meet up at the station." said Henry in an almost whine.

Regina raised a perfectly manicured brow at her son as if to say "and your point?" before speaking in a tone that allowed no further argument.

"Henry, I will be dropping you at Emma's after school and that is final."

Henry let out an exasperated sigh before getting up to place his empty bowl in the sink. He didn't understand what his mother's problem was, but Henry had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Regina on the other hand was quite pleased with herself for remaining firm in her decision. Usually she wouldn't want to run the risk of upsetting Henry, but this time she figured her son would get over it. After she too placed her empty bowl in the sink, they mayor left her manner with Henry in tow, and only one thought, _"Today is going to be a good day.'_

Meanwhile, at the sheriff's station seated atop Sheriff Swan's desk was a scantily clad Ruby peering down at a flustered Emma with a wolfish grin. The two women had been discussing Emma's possible feelings for the former "Evil Queen" and the blonde sheriff just couldn't contain her embarrassment as her best friend poked and prodded for information.

"HOLY FUCK!" Ruby shouted much to Emma's embarrassment.

"Ruby! keep it down will you." Emma hissed, eyes darting around the office.

"Relax Ems, we're the only ones here." Ruby said with a giggle.

Emma rolled her eyes and reached into the box in front of her for a bear claw.

"Rubes, you cannot tell anyone, like literally NO ONE!" Emma looking completely serious as she pointed an index finger in Ruby's face, before biting into her baked treat.

Ruby let out a sigh. Of course she wasn't going to tell anyone about Emma's little secret, sure Ruby was a gossip but never at the expense of her best friends reputation, not to mention her trust. Still, just because she wasn't spilling the beans, didn't mean she would just sit by and watch as two people who should be together, well..._not be together_.

"Emma, I would never betray your trust, but I do think you need to tell Regina how you feel." Ruby said.

At this, Emma nearly choked on her breakfast. Staring up at Ruby wide eyed, Emma coughed and cleared her throat before speaking.

"Are you insane!" Emma shrieked, while Ruby fought to control her laughter.

"Maybe, but that's completely besides the point." Ruby said with a giggle.

"Okay and just how do you suggest I tell her royal bitchiness that I am in love with her?!" Emma asked letting out loud sigh.

"Well, first off, how about not calling her names." Ruby suggested with a slight lift of her brow.

"Fine, You're right." Emma agreed.

The two women sat in a comfortable silence for a good five minutes before the weight of their conversation finally sunk into the blondes mind. Eyes wide with realization Emma was the one to break the silence.

"Holy shit, I'm in love with Regina Mills." Emma said, her tone full of a newfound acceptance.

Ruby smiled. "_Finally!' _she thought to herself as she let out a small sigh. Ruby would help Emma towards her happy ending with Regina if it was the last thing she'd do. Emma was going to need all the support and friendly advice she could get, especially since Snow and James were likely to go ape shit upon discovering Emma's true love and their arch nemesis were one in the same.


	4. Chapter 4

** A/N: My deepest most sincere apologies to the lovelies who have been waiting for an update these past few weeks. If it makes you guys feel any better I spent that time thinking and plotting for the next few chapters to come. I know my writing style isn't the best, but I'm hoping that the events taking place will make up for it. I plan on alternating between Calista's life in high school and her life in Storybrooke, so I hope you all enjoy that. Please feel free to review and PM me, my inbox is always, ALWAYS open! Please, talk to me, I'm friendly. :)**

Chapter 4:

Calista turned into the student parking area and cruised through, looking for the closest parking space. As she looked around, she spotted a familiar black Cadillac sitting in a parking space directly in front of the school building. Calista saw the empty space next to the Cadillac and decided to pull up right beside it. Sitting in the shiny black car beside her, was Kelsey Cruz Calista's best friend of nearly 4 years. Kelsey sat completely unaware of the pair of green eyes watching her as she touched up her makeup in her rear-view mirror. Calista chuckled internally at her bestie's obliviousness as she tugged the long strap of her cross-body school bag over her head and exited her vehicle. A wide grin spread across Calista's face as she crept up to the driver's side of the Cadillac and tapped on the window. Kelsey jumped at the unexpected noise, causing her to smear pink lipstick across her face. Seeing what she had caused her friend to do, Calista burst out laughing before tapping the window once more. Kelsey jerked around in her seat and fixed the person tapping on her car window with a glare, a glare that melted into a beautiful smile once she realized who it was. Kelsey motioned for Calista to move back so that she get out of her car. Once out, Calista wasted no time, and had Kelsey locked in a tight embrace before the other girl could shut the car door.

"Kelsey!" Calista squealed out while giving her friend a quick squeeze around the waist.

The two girls pulled apart and began looking each other up and down. Calista noted how great Kelsey looked, seeing as how she hadn't seen the girl all summer. '_Kelsey must have had a really good summer' thought _Calista as she took in golden brown tanned skin and beautiful strawberry blonde hair highlighted with a lighter blonde and wound into loose curls. Her gaze traveled slowly until she refocused on sparkling ocean blue eyes_. _

"You look good Cal." Kelsey said, giving Calista a light shove.

Calista giggled as Kelsey went on to say, "I especially like the bright purple in your hair."

"You're not looking so bad yourself Kels" Calista said with a playful wink.

"Alright, it's still early, so I should have plenty of time to get Austin to daycare before homeroom." Said Kelsey as she walked around to the other side of the car to retrieve her son from the backseat.

Calista's smile brightened at the sight of Austin in his mother's arms. The two year old had curly blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes like his mother, and his chubby little face was decorated with tiny freckles. Calista swore he was the cutest kid she'd ever seen.

" Auntie 'Lista!" Austin squealed loudly while squirming in his mothers hold, reaching out for Calista.

Calista smile beautifully at the boy and gently extracted him from Kelsey's arms so that she could grab her school bag.

"Hi baby." Calista cooed as she kissed Austin on the cheek.

Kelsey fell into step right beside Calista as the three headed towards the schools daycare center. It was very convenient that their school offered free daycare for the young mothers that attended; This meant that girls in Kelsey's situation could continue going to school with little to no worries. Once they arrived at daycare center, Calista handed Austin to Kelsey and waited for her to get him settled in.

"Alright, let's go." Kelsey said while exiting the daycare room.

"Let's see what our schedules look like." Calista suggested while reaching into her bag and pulling out a folded sheet of paper.

Kelsey pulled out her schedule as well and they stood side by side looking both documents over curiously.

"Okay, it looks like we have all the same classes except for my Music Recording 103." Calista said as she continued to scan her schedule.

Kelsey's eyes darted back and forth from one schedule to the other as Calista went on to say, "Oh, and I'm also going to be working in the Guidance Office as an Office Aide second period , which you are not." Kelsey frowned at that but shrugged as the two continued walking toward their homeroom.

When the girl's arrived to their first class, the room was hardly full since it was still a bit early. They both looked around the room to see if they recognized anyone, when they spotted a raven haired girl drenched in all black clothing. The dark haired girl sat slouching in her seat, her long hair pulled back into a messy bun. Her crystal blue eyes snapped up and locked gazes with Calista before she smiled and waved both girls toward her.

"Hey Tamilyn!" Kelsey greeted as she took the seat to Tamilyn's left.

Tamilyn nodded at Kelsey in greeting before turning her attention on Calista, who took the seat to Tamilyn's right.

"Hey Tam' Tam." Calista greeted with a smile.

"Hey yourself." Tamilyn replied smiling back, before turning her attention to the front of the class where the clearing of a throat sounded.

The three girls watched their seats in the middle of the back of the classroom, as their teacher appeared seated atop her desk waiting for everyone to settle down. Calista glanced beside her and smiled softly. '_This is going to be a good year'_, she thought.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke, Emma is sitting at her desk filling out paperwork when suddenly her cell phone begins to buzz. Setting down her pen, Emma picks up her phone to look at the screen. '_Strange, I don't recognize this number.' _Emma thought as she sent the call straight to voicemail. Setting her phone back down, Emma picks up her pen and returns to her paperwork. Her phone buzzes again, this time letting her know she's received a voicemail. Emma tries to refocus on the task at hand, but her curiosity takes over until she snatches up her phone again. Scrolling through her notifications, Emma stops and taps the voicemail that was recently left. She hit play and waited with her phone pressed firmly against her ear.

_Hello Miss Emma Swan, my name is Evangelina Abasolo and I am calling in regard to my daughter Calista. I found your phone number on the birthday card she received from you a few days ago. I know what I am about to ask may sound a little crazy, but could you please come out to Boston and meet with me? The matter in which I wish to speak with you is rather urgent and I would rather not discuss it over the phone. My address is 3321 Prescott Street, Boston MA, 02109. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you._

Emma nearly dropped her phone in shock as what she's just heard began to sink in. Of course Emma would be shocked and a even a bit frightened at the mention of Calista, or rather, Calista's mother. After a few minutes Emma took a deep breath and hit redial on her phone. With the phone pressed to her ear again, Emma waited. One ring...two rings...three rings...

_"Ah Miss Swan, so glad you returned my call! __'_

Emma took a deep breath before speaking. "Yes, I got your message, you said you're Calista's mother correct?"

_"Yes and I really need to speak with you in person Miss Swan'_

Emma's heart felt as if it was going beat right out of her chest as she took another deep breath. "Um, listen, I know I may be overstepping by keeping in contact with Calista, so if this is what this is about then..." Emma's sentence was cut off before she could finish.

_"Oh no! absolutely not, I am very happy that you have kept in touch with Calista over the years, the matter I need to discuss is not about that.'_

Emma let out a loud sigh of relief at Evangelina's words. The last thing she needed was an angry adoptive mother on her hands. "Okay good, you had me really worried there for a minute."

_"Miss Swan, I hate to push but time really is of the essence. How soon can you get to Boston?'_

Emma was unsure of what to say in that moment. Sure, Emma cared a lot about Calista and yes, she did keep tabs on the girl in order to make sure she was doing okay, but they have not spoken in quite some time, she got a letter here and there but beyond that, no contact. Everything Emma's mind was telling her to say turned out to be completely opposite to what actually came out of her mouth.

"I will leave tonight and meet with you first thing tomorrow morning." Emma said.

_"Excellent, I will see you soon Miss Swan, enjoy the rest of your day.'_

_*Click*_

Emma hit the end button on her phone and shoved it into her front pocket before standing up from where she sat. She grabbed her car keys and fled from the Sheriff's station as quickly as her legs could carry her. Once inside her yellow bug Emma started the engine and headed towards home. _'Shit, it was my turn to take Henry!'_ Emma thought with a loud sigh. In no time Emma was pulling into her driveway and exiting her vehicle. Once inside Emma shot up the stairs and into her bedroom. She paced nervously back and forth trying to figure out what needed to be done. The first thing Emma decided to do was call her father James and let him know she had an emergency in Boston and had to leave town for a few days. Emma instructed him to act as Sherriff until she returned, which he was more than okay with. The next thing Emma decided to do was pack her suitcase and duffel bag. She tossed in every piece of clothing she owned except her winter coats and leather jacket collection, leaving her closet nearly bare and her dresser empty. There was no telling how many days this trip would take, but Emma wanted to be prepared. Emma made sure her bags were zipped before sending them to the trunk of her car with a wave of her hand. Emma was ready to go, but there was one thing Emma still had to do that she had purposely saved for last, call Regina.

Emma pulled her phone out of her pocket, but then decided things would be much easier if she sent the woman a text message instead. So Emma typed out a quick message and magically transported herself inside of her car before hitting send and starting up the engine. Emma drove until she was over the town line and on her way to Boston.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Regina sat at her desk in front of her computer typing fiercely, when the buzzing of her cell phone tore her mind away from her work. '_Someone had to bother me while I am hard at work_.' Regina thought scowling at the device, debating on whether or not to ignore it. The brunette decided it wasn't important and continued working. After half an hour, Regina's eyes darted back towards her phone. Of course the text could be from Henry or even better, the blonde Sheriff who had been occupying the Mayors thoughts as of late. The brunette pursed her lips while silently weighing her options. She could continue to ignore the text only to have it be an emergency that needs her immediate attention, or she could simply give into her burning curiosity and wind up being sorely disappointed. The latter won, and Regina reached for her phone. Tapping the screen, Regina saw that the text message was indeed from Emma Swan.

**Hey Regina, I need you to take Henry all week this week. I had to leave town because of an emergency and am unsure how late in the week I'll be back. Thanks, xxx **

The taste of bile formed in the back of Regina's throat as panic began to rise in her chest. The only thing going through Regina's mind was that Emma had left town, and as that piece of information sunk in all Regina could think is, '' _She ran.'_ Regina didn't want to put the budget reports she was currently working on off any longer than absolutely necessary, but she had a more pressing matter to attend to. The brunette took a deep breath and stood up from her chair, grabbing her cell phone and her purse. Regina made her way outside of her office, shutting the door swiftly before locking it and making her way out of Town Hall. The former queen needed answers, and she needed them immediately.

Once inside her Mercedes, Regina began to think up a list of people who may know more about Emma's little disappearing act. She refused to ask Snow and James, but there was one other person who may know. A person whom Regina recently had the misfortune of seeing in bed with the woman she is in love with. Before Regina went that far, she wanted to call Emma and see if the blonde would respond to any of her attempts at trying to reach her. If and only if, Emma failed to communicate further with Regina, would she stoop so low as to speak with that scantily clad harlot of a wolf. Regina huffed at the thought of showing such weakness. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her contacts until she highlighted Emma's name. Hitting the call button, she waited patiently, hoping the blonde would answer her.

* * *

Emma continued driving until Storybrooke's town line was far out of sight. The blonde drove fast, nearly breaking any and every speed limit on her way. Emma was desperate to get to the next town as quickly as possible, she needed to make a call. She didn't want to make any phone calls while she was driving, and she also seemed to be a little low on gas. Luckily, thanks to the speed at which she was driving, the hour it would have taken to reach a gas station was cut in half. Emma parked next to the nearest pump and exited her bug, heading inside the 7 Eleven to buy snacks and pay for gas. The blonde ended up leaving with a bag full of Twinkies, various Lays potato chips, and a full six gallon gas container.

After filling up the bugs tank, Emma put the container in the trunk of the car, slamming it shut before returning to the driver's seat. Before pulling off and resuming her road trip, Emma pulls out her cell phone and starts dialing. "_Come on Rubes pick up.' _Emma thought as she waited. Two rings...Three rings...

_"Hello?" Ruby answered cheerily_.

"Hey Rubes, it's me"" Emma said in a relieved tone,

_"Duh Em, I have caller ID, what's up?" _

Emma took a deep breath to calm her nerves before speaking again. This shouldn't be so hard, Ruby is her best friend, she can tell the woman anything.

"Rubes, I had to leave Storybrooke for a few days..." Emma's sentence was cut off by Ruby before she could finish.

_"WHAT?! WHY?" Ruby barked._

Just as Emma was about to finish explaining, her phone began to beep, signaling she had another call coming through. Turning her phone over to see who it was, Regina's name flashed across her screen. Emma felt like large butterflies were attacking her insides at that point.

"Ruby listen, I got a call concerning an old friend and I had to leave ASAP." Emma said.

_"Okay, where are you? Are you coming back? Emma you can't just leave us, what about me or Henry or Reg..." Ruby's rambling was cut off by Emma._

_"_Rubes, breathe, I'm not running away, I'm headed to Boston but I will be back sometime this week, I would never leave any of you, especially not Henry and Regina." Emma said soothingly.

Just as she was about to say more, Emma paused as she heard the familiar beeping in her ear again. Turning the phone over once more, she saw that it was Regina, _again_. Hitting ignore, Emma pressed the phone to her ear and began to speak again.

"Rubes, I can't explain everything right now, but I want you to know where I'll be staying just in case of an emergency." Emma said.

_"okay, where will you be?" Ruby asked curiously._

"I've been keeping the rent on my old apartment in Boston paid for the past few years, just in case, so that is where I'll be. In case of emergency, Henry knows where it is." Emma admitted with a sigh.

_" Oh my Gods, Em, where you planning on running at some point?" Ruby asked, hurt evident in her voice._

"It's not like that , I just felt safer knowing I had somewhere to go if anything should happen." Emma explained, as she went on to say, "Rubes please don't tell anyone where I am okay?"

_"Only if you swear to me you're coming back." Ruby said._

"Ruby, I _swear _on my life that I will come back this week." Emma stated firmly.

Ruby let out a loud sigh followed by what Emma swore was a sniffle or two before speaking again.

_"Okay, your secret location is safe with me." Ruby finally agreed._

Just as Emma was about to thank Ruby, she heard the beeping noise, for the third time. The blonde didn't need to look at her screen in order to know that it was Regina. _"That woman is sure persistent, I'll give her that' _Thought Emma before saying goodbye to Ruby and pulling away from the gas station. Emma had at least another hour and a half more to go before she arrived in Boston, and was determined not to waste any more time.

* * *

Ruby stood behind the counter in the diner, staring at her cell phone with watery eyes. The brunette knew Emma better than most of the people in Storybrooke, even better than Snow and James; If Emma said she would be back, then she would. Emma wouldn't ever lie to her, right? Not her, not her best friend. So, with a deep breath, Ruby wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks and tucked her phone back into her apron pocket. Deep down, Ruby knew Emma wasn't leaving for good, because if she were, she would never call anyone, least of all to give away the place she'd be staying at. Ruby glanced up at the wall clock behind the counter, it read 4:00PM. "_Henry should be out of school by now, which meant that Regina...oh shit, she never told me if she told Regina!' _Ruby thought in panic.

Ruby couldn't be here in the diner when Regina came looking for answers, she may not be afraid of the former queen, but that didn't make the other woman any less intimidating. Grabbing her phone and keys, Ruby tore off her apron and practically ran out of the diner. The wolf girl hopped into her car and drove. The brunette was unsure of where to go until a thought crossed her mind. Before she knew it, Ruby was parked in Emma's driveway. Emma wouldn't mind her staying there until she returned, plus Emma gave her a key. Once inside the Sherriff's home, Ruby went upstairs to Emma's bedroom and made herself at home. Kicking off her cherry red heels, the brunette sauntered toward the master bathroom. "_Guess I'll have a nice shower_.' Ruby thought before stripping down to nothing and half shutting the bathroom door.

* * *

Regina sat in her car, unmoving and fuming silently to herself. How could her day have gone so wrong? She had planned on dropping Henry at Emma's and using that to invite herself in for dinner. All she wanted was an opportunity to get close to the blonde. Of course now that seemed as if it would never be possible. Regina called her _three_ times, and the blonde refused to answer her. The brunette was now furious, but what could she do? She really didn't want to have to ask Ruby of all people where Emma had gone. She did however prefer James over Snow any day. Regina let out a loud groan before searching through her phone's contact list again. This time, she hit the call button when the name _Royal Idiot #2_ was highlighted. With the phone pressed firmly to her ear, the brunette waited ring after ring until James finally answered.

_"Regina, to what do I owe the pleasure?" James asked, tone laced with sarcasm._

"Hello James, I was wondering if you had spoken to the Sheriff recently?" Regina asked, ignoring the man's idiocy.

James furrowed his brows in confusion, wondering if he should tell Regina Emma left town. He almost didn't until he realized it was her turn to keep Henry the next three days_. "She must've left without saying anything to Henry.' _James thought. With a sigh, James decided Regina had a right to know.

_"Emma called earlier to ask me to take over as Sheriff for the rest of the week." James said._

"And why would she do that?" Regina asked curiously.

_"She said she had to take care of an emergency in Boston." James answered with a sigh._

"Thank you James, that will be all." Regina said before ending the call.

Regina was beyond panicking at this point, but she knew she had to pull herself together. Glancing at her phone's clock, it read 4:30PM. Henry was no doubt standing outside the school waiting for her arrival. With that thought, Regina started her car and sped towards the school. Once she'd arrived, she saw that her suspicions were indeed correct. Henry was standing right outside waiting patiently. When the boy spotted Regina's car he practically ran to it, flinging the passenger door open and climbing inside.

"Hey mom." Henry greeted with a grin.

"Hello darling." Regina said, smiling back at him before speaking again.

"Henry, there has been a slight change in plans for this evening..." Regina began, as she took in her sons curious expression. "It would seen Miss Swan has left town due to some kind of emergency and won't be back for a few days."

Henry looked up at Regina, eyes wide, and frown in place. He knew Regina wouldn't lie about something like this. Regina truly had changed a lot over the past few years and Henry loved and trusted her like never before. He just couldn't understand why Emma would leave town like this, or why she didn't at least tell him of all people before she did. If Henry was being honest with himself, he wasn't upset with Emma, his feelings were just hurt. Henry locked eyes with Regina and gave her a slow nod to let her know he understood the situation, before she drove in the direction of 108 Mifflin Street.


End file.
